Electric-railway system



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (No Model.)

0. J. VAN DEPOELE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Patented Mar. 17,1891Q WOW 0 1 WD, n Tm J 6 e L w L ,h C

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. J. VAN DEPOELE. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

No. 448,563. Patented Mar. '7, 1891.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. J. VAN DEPOELE. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

No. 448,563. Patented Mar. 17,1891.

'a'nvewloz wi fl'maoaeo Charles J. TanDcpoele 4 SheetsSheet 4.

(N0 Mode l.)

G. J. VAN DEPOELE, ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

awue what Charles J. Yaw/1767006216 y atfozmm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,563, dated March 17, 1891.

Application filed December 13, 1890. Serial No. 374,581. (No model.)

.To a ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. VAN DE- POELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of lllassachnsetts, have invented certain new and useful In'iprovemcnts in Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improved system of propelling cars or trains of cars upon an electric railway,and in general the invention comprises il'nprovements upon the inventions set forth in my prior patents, numbered a ll ilS-l and i3l,085, dated August 19, 1890.

My prior patents fully set forth the advantages ot the system under which the supply-current is received at some point or points upon the train, and there modified and supplied to the local or traveling motor circuit, and the same is true in the present instance. I have, however, in this case, embodied a number of very desirable improvements which will be hereinafter fully set forth and referred to in the appended claims.

As shown in the drawings, the motor or metors are of the type set forth and described in an application filed December 20, 1890, Serial lio. 375,308,:1s well as in other of my pen ding cases, and while I have described several novel features in connection with such a motor which have decided advantages in practice, those features of the present application which refer to motor regulation are not limited to any particular form or construction of motor.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in elevation, showing parts of an electric-railway motor-car with electrical apparatus embodying the invention; also the supplycircuit and connections. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing part of an electric-motor car provided with a traveling contact device and eletrical apparatus and circuits embodying the invention. Figs. and a are views in elevation showing parts of a motor-truck equipped withmotors embodying the invention, and further provided with means for reversing the direction of ro tation thereof. 5 is a diagrammatic View,

partly in elevation, showing the relation of the different parts of the system, but differ ing from Fig. l in showing additional means for current regulation. Fig. 6 is a detail view of solenoid and cnrrent-controlling switch therefor.

In Fig. l of the drawings, A is the bed or frame-work of a car, of which C C are the carrying-wheels, and B B the propelling-ind tors, by preference mounted directly upon the axles thereof. The said motors are operated by current received from a dynamoelectric machin e D operating as a counterelectro-motive force device and carried in any convenient position upon the car. Current is supplied to the machine D by traveling current-collecting devicesas. for example, the trolley E which is suitably supported upon the vehicle and provided with a contact 6 at its free end, said contact engaging a main conductor 1exteuding along the line of travel.

G indicates a generatingstatiou,from the positive and negative sides of which the current is taken; and 2 is the return-00nductor, which in this instance is connected with the rails F of the track upon which the vehicles travel. A double overhead circuit is shown in Fig. 2; but any other disposition of the supply-conductors can be adopted, as desired.

As set forth in my said prior patent, many practical advantages are gained by the method of propulsion upon which this is an improvement; but a special feature of this case is that according to my present invention I employ motors the armature-circuits of which are energized wholly by induction, so that but a single circuit is necessary and that including i only the coils of the field-magnets thereof.

An induction-motor of the type here employed is shown and described in my patent, No. s33,83i, August 5, 1890, and comprises an armature of the contiuunus-current type having a finely divided or laminated core and a field-magnet for said armature, alsohavin g a core of subdividediron. The degree of lamination in both instances should depend upon and accord with the nature of the currentby which the fieldmagnet is energized.

In my prior patent the current-modifying devices carried by the motor-car, and to which the main supply-cnrrent is led, are specially designed to modify said current in order to enable me to employ currents of relatively high tension and to distribute currents of relatively low tension to the train-circuit, and this arrangement might be employed in the present instance in' connection with certain of the improvements herein contained; butI' find that extremely good results are produced by a form of apparatus which serves merely to change the character of the current without affecting its potential. To'this end. the counter-electro-motive-force device or converter D is an ordinary electro-dynamic machine of the continuous-current type which receives the supply-current and distributescurrent'of. alternating polarity. This result is secured by providingthe armature H of the machine D with two insulated rings 71- h in addition to the regular sectionalcommutator h. The said rings are each connected-with a diametrically-opposite section of the commutator it, so that during the rotation-of the armature H the sections connected to said rings will pass alternately between the positive and negative poles of the machine, and therefore contact devices placed upon said rings will transmit alternately positiveand negative impulses. I

As shown in Fig. 1,the machineDis mounted in convenient position upon the car and is in direct connection with the trolley by conductor 3, which extends to the hand-lever I of a rheostat 'i, from the other extremity of which the current passes by conductor 4 to the field-magnet coiled of the machine D. From the other extremity of the field-magnet coils d the current passes to the main positive stationary commutator-brush P, passing thence into the armature and issuing by an oppositely-placed brush n, and from there by conductor 5 to the rails F, or whatever form of return-circuit may be provided. The brushes P N are the ordinary commutatorbrushes of acontinuous-current machine and g are adjnstably sustained in any desired manner.

The distributor D is operated as a series motor, and the resistance 11 is employed to regulate the speed thereof, and therefore the rate of the phase of the alternating currents supplied to the field-magnets of the motors. In connection with resistance 1', I provide, however, an additional contact 1;, which is in the path of the switch-lever I after the same has passed from a suitable portion of the resistance. Upon reaching the contact 11 the connections are changed so that the remaining portion of the resistance is put in multiple arc with the field-magnet coils of the machine D and part of the current is shunted around them, passing directly to the armature. This willoperate to diminish the speed of the machine D and the rate of phase.

Upon the axles C O of the carrying-wheels are mounted motor-armatures J. The said sponding in number with the magnet-poles.

the terminals of each section being connected to a separate commutator-segment andcommutator-brushes corresponding in number to the circuits to be closed. Brush-holders K are provided for each commutator, said brush-- "holders carrying equidistant brushes corresponding in number and relationship to the field-magnet poles by which the armature is operated. ExteriortothearmaturesJarefieldmagnets L, cylindrical in form, and although they may of course be woundwith one continuous wire coil, as a Gramme ring, and having consequent poles, I have here shown them as having four polar extensions Z Z Z Z, the said pole-pieces being united by iron cores Z, wound with magnetizing-conductor M. All four of the field-magnet coils Mare connected in series. The commutator-brushes are all united, so asto short-circuit the armature at different points, and thereby to localize the poles set up in said armature by the currents induced therein due to the action of the field-magnets thereon. Contact-brushes are placed upon the rings 71' k of the machineD and connected by conductors 6 7 with the terminals of the fieldmagnet coils M, and as the armature H revolves with each revolution thereof current impulses will be caused to rise and fall in the said field-magnet coils, the succeeding pulsations being of alternating polarity. The alternating-current in the fieldmagnets reacting upon the armature will produce induced currents therein, which, being short-circuited by the connections between the commutator-brushes, will create poles at the points engaged by the brushes, and said points being suitably arranged with reference to the poles of the field-magnets will cause rotation of the armature in either direction, as desired.

The direction of rotation of the armatures can be controlled by hand or electrically, and in Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown both means in their simplest form.

Fig. 3 shows hand means for control, and Fig. 4 electro-magnetic means, and this latter would be preferable, of course, where a -number of motors were to be run from a single point, as where a train of cars all equipped with motors of this type were to be operated from a single distributor D.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the motor-armatures J are mounted upon the axles C O of the carrying-wheels and their field-magnets L are sustained in concentric relation therewith, said field-magnets being contained within a suitable exterior casing, which casing is sleeved upon the axle beyond the extremities of the armatures, that part of the construction being, for instance, similar to what is shown and described in my concurrent application, and no more particular form is here shown, since the present invention is notlimited in its application to motors of any particular mechanical form or structure. As indicated, however, the field-magnets are prevented from rotation by connectingbars M, which are securely attached thereto, and when said field-magnets are suitably mounted upon the axle will prevent their rotation. At the same time the bars M should have some flexibility, so as to allow slight oscillation of the said field-magnets at starting or stopping for the purpose of dimishing the suddenness of said movements.

Each motor-commutator j is of the ordinary sectional type and is provided with an adjustably-mounted and insulated brush-carrying yoke O, which in the present instance is of metal and provided with four equidistant commutator-brushes q'q q q properly springcontrolled, bearing upon the commutator at equidistant points, and all in electrical connection through the yoke 0. As before stated, the number of brushes should correspond with the number of poles of the field-magnet. As indicated in Fig. 3, the yokes O O are connected by rods m m, insulated therefrom, of course, an d said rods are connected to a handleverQ,which is provided with a spring-latch q, engaging a segmental rack Q. The lever Q is suitably mounted at Q and may be moved back and forth, thereby moving all the brushes upon the two commutators and said lever, together with the brushes, will be held in any desired position by engagement of the spring-latch q with the rack Q.

In Fig. 4 the yokes O are the same, but they are operated by two connecting-rods joined by an iron plunger R, which is arranged to move within a pair of solenoids 'r r. The solenoids receive current from the supplycircuit through a suitable switch, and the current may be caused to flow continuously through one or the other, in accordance with which the plunger R will be positioned together with the brushes upon the commutator. The solenoids maybe sectional, as shown in Fig. (3, the sections being connected to separate insulated sections g g g g g q of a switch R, and by means of which the solenoids as a whole can be weakened at any point by the brush or contact 0", which has an extended surface capable of engaging two or more sections at once. The central section 9 is of the same length as the face of the contact to allow the current to be sent through either half of the solenoid when desired.

A special feature of improvement is found in the control of the motive power by means of the coininutator-brushes. Since the armatures J are energized wholly by induction and the winding of said armatures is continuous, and since the brushes upon the commutator are electrically connected, the polar points will correspond with the positions of the brushes, the most eifective of which is just in the rear of the strongest points of the field-magnet poles. It therefore follows that the speed and power of the motors may be regulated by simply moving the brushes toward or away from their most effective positions. Furthermore the motors may be deprived of all power without stopping the current by positioning the brushes opposite to the central points of the iield-magnets when no induction will take place in the armature. This arrangement will be found very convenient in any instance where frequent short stoppages are to be made, and the consumption of current will not be great during these intervals, since the counter-electro-motive force of the field-magnet coils will operate to check the flow of current therethrough. I find, furthermore, that by the present means an easily-handled and effective method of operation is produced, since the car can be slowed down, stopped, backed, or braked by simply changing the position of the brushes in accordance with the principles above set forth.

As previously stated, I may prefer to employ, in addition to a distributer, means for modifying the electro-motive force of the sup ply-current, so as to reduce the tension of the currents going to the motor-circuit. An arrangement embodying this principle is shown in Fig. 5, in which E E c e are the positive and negative traveling contact devices engaging the line-conductors l 2. D is a counter-electro-inotive-force device. S is the distributer or means for converting a continuous current into currents of alternating polarity. T is a motor for operating the moving part of the distributor S. A regulator 75 is provided for the motor T. 8 9 are the conductors of the local circuit between the motors B B B B, which may be upon two separate cars or upon all four of the axles of a double truck-car, such as is indicated in Fig. 2. L L L L are the field-magnets of the motors, of which J J J J are the armatures. Wit-h thisarrangement, the current entering through trolley E passes by conductor 10 to the main positive comm utator-brush p of the electro-dynamie machine D, and also passes to the field-magnet coils of the machine T, passing therethrough in series relation to the armature. The other comm utator-brush n is connected to the returnconductor 11, which connects with the trolley E, connected with the return side of the main circuit. The other terminal of the field-magnet coils is also connected with the return-circuit. The machine D is provided with a sectional cont mutator j, and has in addition thereto an insulated ring (Z upon which bears a stationary contact (i connected to conductor 12. Current of continuous direction and. of any desired potential is transmitted from the commutatorj of the machine D to the ring (Z and thence through contact (Z and conductor 12 by means of a pair of adjustable auxiliary commutator-brushes /\3 7a, which engage both the commutator and the ring h The brushes k are carried by flexible or jointed arms 7s 7a, which are connected to a suitable hand-lever 10 so that as said lever is moved toward or away from the commutator of the machine D the brushes will separate and move around said commutator, spanning a greater or less number of the segments thereof, so that the current flowing in the conductor 12 will be of a potential determined by the number of sections between the brushes 70. The distributer S might be a machine similar to the distributer D of Fig. 1; but I'find that a suitable number of electro-chemical elements constitute a very desirable device for this purpose. The distributer S comprises a group of electro-chemical elements 3, which are connected in one series arranged for convenience of illustration in a circle, and these elements are each connected by a conductor 8 to an insulated segment of a sectional commutator U. A brush-holder V, carrying commutator brushes p n, is mounted in position to be rotated about said commutator, and is further provided with two insulated contact-rings 10 n the ring 19 being electrically connected with the brush p, and the ring 72 with the brush n, and the said rings are connected through suitable contact-brushes and conductors l3and 14 with the local circuit 8 9.

with one of the segments of the commutator U, and the opposite segment of said commutator is connected by conductor 15 with the return-circuit through the trolley E. The motor T, as here shown, is connected in se- 'ries, receiving current from conductor 16 and positive trolley E, and being connected by conductor 17 with the return-circuit through trolley E. A regulator t, arranged to Vary the strength of the field-magnet of the motor T, provides the desired speed-regulation therefor. From the axis of the armature of the motor t extends a belt T or other suitable mechanical connectiomwhich, engaging a pulley upon the axis of the brush-carrying arm V, will rotate the same and carry the brushes around upon the commutator U continuously andatthedesiredspeed. Itwillbeunderstood, therefore, that the supply-current is modified to any desired extent by passing through the machine D, and thence by conductor 12 to the chemical counter-electro-motive-force device S. Further, that the motor T continuously rotates the brush-carrying arm V upon the commutator of the distributer S, and that with the rotation of said arm currents of alternating polarity are transmitted from the device S to the conductors 8 9, which are connected to the terminals of the field-magnets of the motors B. By varying the position of the brushes 70 Icon the machine D the potential of the current supplied to the distributer S may be varied as desired, and by increasing or decreasing the speed of the motor T the rate of phase of the alternating currents supplied to the field-magnets of the motors will be varied as desired, thus providing a The conductor 12, ex--- tending from the machine D, is connected most complete and eflicient system of regulation.

The motors B are controlled as to their power, direction. rotation, and speed, as has been already set forth.

What I claim as new, and desire to securerotation of the armature,-adistributer receiv- 7 ing the continuous supply-current and converting the same into currents of alternating polarity, and connections between the distributer and the field-magnets of the motors.

2. A train system comprising acontinuous supply-circuit along the line of Way, a vehicle or vehicles, motors arranged to propel said vehicles and comprising short-circuited armatures having adjustable commutatorbrushes, a distributer receiving the continuous supply-current and converting the same into currents of alternating polarity, connections between the distributer and the fieldmagnets of the motors, and means for controlling the speed of the distributer, and

thereby the rate of phase of the currents sent to the field-magnet coils of the motors.

3. In an electric-railway train system, the combination, with a source of continuous current, of an electro-dynamic machine or distributer receiving said currents and transmit ing alternating currents, a motor or motors the field-magnets of which are in circuit with the alternating currents of the distributer and having armatures the winding of which is short-circuited through adjustable commutator-brushes, and means for controlling the inductional effects of the field-magnet upon the armature by varying the positions of said brushes with relation to the poles of the fieldmagnets of the motors.

4. A system of electric railways comprising a motor-circuit traveling with the vehicles to be propelled, motors connected to the driving-wheels of the vehicles, each having a field-magnet energized by a single alternating or pulsating current, an armature having a continuous winding connected toa sectional commutatonand brushes upon said commutator shortcircuiting the sections of the armature corresponding to the effective poles of the field-magnets.

5. In an electric-railway system, a continuous supply-current, a counter-electro-motiveforce device or distributer for changing the continuous current into a single alternating current, motors having field-magnets energized by the alternating current, and armatures placed in inductive relation thereto, and means for closing upon themselves and short-circuiting the sections of the armature-winding corresponding to the inducingpoles of the field-magnets, substantially as described.

6. In an electric-railway system, an electric motor consisting of two elements carried by the axles of the vehicles to be driven, said elements each comprising an iron core having more or less finely-divided laminations and coils placed thereon, which under the influence of an alternating or pulsating current produces a number of rising and falling magnetic poles in said field-magnets, and an armature having a sectional winding and a commutator therefor, and means for closing the corresponding sections of the armature upon themselves while rotating with regard to the inducing-poles of the field-magnets.

7. In a train system having one or more motors adapted to propel a vehicle, a source of continuous current extending along the line of way, means for converting the contin uous into alternating currents, connections between the source of alternating currents and the field-magnets of the motors, said motors having armatures of the continuous-curront type with adjustable electrically connected com niutator-brushes corresponding in number with the poles of their field-magnets, and means for controlling the speed, power, and direction of rotation of the motor-armatures by adjusting the commutator-brushes with relation to the points of induction.

8. In an electric train system, the combination of a vehicle, a source of continuous current extending along the line of way, a motor upon and arranged to propel said vehicle, said motor comprising a closed circuited armature with adjustable electrically-connected brushes and a separate field-magnet circuit, means for converting the supply-current into single currents of alternating polarity and transmitting the phases thereof to the fieldmagnet coils, and means also for controlling the speed and power of the motor by varying the rate and strength of the currents supplied to the field-magnet coils of the motors.

9. In a railway train system, the combination of a source of continuous current, motors having armatu res with com mutated windings and comm utator-brushes shcrt-circuiting the desired parts of said armattire-windings, independent field-magnets, a distributergiving currents of alternating polarity and connected with the terminals of the field-magnets, and a current-modifying device receiving the supply-current and transmitting continuous current at any desired potential from the working conductors to the distributer.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES .l. VAN DEPOELE.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. Gnsnounv, CHAS. H. OLIN. 

